


It's OK If You Forget Me

by midnight_cat



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist, Naruto
Genre: Angst, BAMF Okumura Rin, Crossover, F/M, M/M, Manga & Anime, Naruto AU, Not Canon Compliant, Okumura Rin Protection Squad, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Kushina, Rin deserves all the things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:00:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28037307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnight_cat/pseuds/midnight_cat
Summary: The training camp fiasco is over and Rin's secret is out in the open.  Mephisto takes measures to ensure Rin's safety and mental health by having Kushina take him in.  He has a new life with teammates/classmates that understand him.  But what happens when his past comes back into his life with a bang?
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uzumaki Naruto, Okumura Rin/Suguro "Bon" Ryuuji, Other Naruto Character(s)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 56





	1. Somebody Save Me

_This is one of my first attempts at writing for the Blue Exorcist fandom, so please bear with me! I’ve had this idea since I saw the training camp arc and it wouldn’t leave me alone. I can’t promise consistent updates, unfortunately, since this isn’t the only story I’m working on. It will utilize bits from both the manga and anime, since they were done slightly differently._

_Dedicated to TongueTiedRaven who encouraged me to write stories in the Blue Exorcist fandom, due to her support and reading her wonderful fanfics._

**_ Chapter song list _ ** _: These are the songs I listened to while writing this chapter. Feel free to listen to them while reading this chapter. “Nothing Left to Say” – Imagine Dragons; “I Scare Myself” and “Monster” – Beth Crowley; and “Would Anyone Care” – Citizen Soldier_

 **_ Disclaimer: _ ** _I don’t own the characters of Blue Exorcist or Naruto. All characters belong to Kazue Kato and Masashi Kishimoto. No profit is being made from the writing of this story._

* * *

**_“I regret opening up to some people; they didn’t deserve to know me like that.”_ **

He could feel the cold tile digging relentlessly into his knees from being forcefully shoved to the floor. Made to kneel before the Grigori as though he were some kind of pet. Throbbing pain lanced through his right ankle where Angel had cruelly cut it moments prior with his sword. It was just a matter of time before his regenerative abilities kicked in; he just had to patiently wait it out. The whispers were pitched lowly, but his enhanced hearing made certain that he heard every goddamned word they spoke. Talking about who his damn parents were, how he was a danger to everyone. Comments about his visible demonic traits. It made Rin feel like he was nothing more than a show dog being put on display; his pedigree being mocked by everyone in attendance.

Furious blue eyes raked over the unfamiliar faces, taking note of their expressions. They were expecting him to lose control. He resented the fact they were treating him as though he was some untamed animal that was being watched for the first chance to be euthanized. The anger seemed to dim slightly as he realized that he’d been experiencing such animosity and fear since he could remember. _“Demon!” “He’s nothing but a demon child!”_ The words that had once fueled his anger now held a new meaning. His former teachers and classmates had no clue how right they had been about calling him a demon, although he hadn’t known it at the time. No, that wasn’t entirely true. He could tell, when the anger overtook him, that something else had been there the entire time. Him losing his temper at this moment would be his death sentence. They had already made up their minds about him…anything else would just be extra ammunition that they would use to make his execution swift.

Following along, nipping on the heels of his anger came the bitter despair at finding what his “friends” truly thought of him now that his parentage had been aired like dirty laundry. It hadn’t been his choice to hide his demonic heritage, but they didn’t, or rather _wouldn’t_ , see it that way. To them, he had lied from the beginning to gain their trust, all so he could take advantage of it. Rin could try and explain, but deep down he knew they wouldn’t listen. After all, it’s common knowledge that demons lie, right? The fact that they were rebuffing him only reaffirmed for Rin that he was meant to be a loner, like he’d been his entire life.

 _“Why…the hell is Satan’s kid here in the academy?!”_ Those words might be the ones to hurt him the most. He’d begun to realize his growing feelings towards Suguro for what they were. His demon side had shouted furiously in his mind to fucking do something as he saw Suguro being choked mercilessly by Amaimon. It rose to a near roar when blood flew from the other Exwire’s mouth, that clawed hand digging deeper into sensitive flesh. Witnessing the anger that had suffused Suguro’s expression as he yelled that one sentence had destroyed any hopes he might have had. Who was he kidding, anyway? Like the son of Satan would have a chance in hell (huh, he made a pun!) of being allowed a romantic relationship. Especially with the heir to a prestigious temple.

Shiemi’s angry face swam into his memory next, tears pouring from her eyes. _“As if there’s nothing strange about it?!”_ Seeing her unresponsive and mindlessly following the demon king’s demands had made him furious. Her comment caused him to feel the remembered shame after he’d seen what he had become after unlocking his demonic side. The hot flush that had suffused his face as he saw his reflection, seeing why Shiro had pleaded with him not to unsheathe Kurikara. He hadn’t wanted to look in the mirror, but in the end forced himself to do so. Rin felt his fangs bury themselves into his lower lip as he tried desperately not to show his emotional turmoil. His tail wound itself around his abdomen, as if seeking some form of protection. Hadn’t anyone considered the fact that he never asked for any of this? He’d never wanted to be the spawn of Satan, nor did he want the powers that went with it. But they all treated him as if he was the devil himself. Maybe…maybe he was better off not having friends. What good did it do to want friends when they turned on you at the drop of a hat? Not a damned thing.

All he’d wanted to do was protect them from Amaimon. He knew what the demon king was capable of having fought him at the amusement park. Despair and helplessness washed over him as he watched his friends getting ruthlessly beaten by the other demon. Anger surged through him at the callousness that Amaimon displayed, knowing what he needed to do. It was a huge risk, the stigma his blue flames carried normally holding him back. But unless he did something, his friends would die this night. And he’d be damned if he let that happen. Risking everything to protect his precious people and all he’d gotten in return was being treated like a pariah by both the ones he’d saved and the people in this room. It wasn’t fair. Why was the fact that he’d tried to protect people such a foreign concept? Because he was a half-demon? He snorted under his breath. Any action he did, it all boiled down to that oversimplified concept. Demons didn’t do anything out of the goodness of their heart, so he must have had ulterior motives. Was protecting people really worth it if this was the treatment he received?

His spectators were shouting loudly, letting their emotions get the better of them, even as Mephisto explained everything that had occurred sixteen years ago. Rage bubbled ominously under his skin as he heard them declaring that he should have been killed when he was born. _He_ was the one getting the brunt of their hatred for being Satan’s son, when _hello!_ Yukio was also his son. One had the blue flames, one didn’t. Guess who was targeted as enemy number one? The hypocrisy of it all made him want nothing more than to tell them to burn in hell with his father. And he’d be glad to help them along, with a one-way ticket to Gehenna. Finally, he couldn’t take the cacophony of voices any longer, his emotions finally breaking free.

“Shut the hell up!!” He could feel his fangs lengthen slightly, blue flames surrounding him even though Kurikara was still sheathed. Slitted eyes glared at the Grigori and he almost smiled in triumph at their minute flinch. He could faintly hear Yukio admonishing him in his mind about his behavior and he visualized himself flipping his younger brother the finger. Yukio could shut it. _He_ wasn’t the one on trial here for just existing. “You bastards since the very beginning just won’t shut up with ya endless blabber! Don’t just mindlessly judge people as you please! I ain’t your weapon, demon king, or savior! I’m Rin Okumura! And I’m gonna become the friggin’ best exorcist you ever laid your eyes on! I’ll make every single damn one of you remember it!” His outburst had the desired impact, shutting them all up as they sat there startled. He felt the cold steel of Angel’s sword as it slithered over his shoulder, the gesture an obvious threat from the older man. Refusing to be cowed, he taunted Angel, even as he heard one of the Grigori order Angel to remove his sword.

A new voice filled the silent room, boldly stating, “I’ll take Mephisto’s bet. You’re all nothing but a bunch of cowards treating a kid that way, ya know! Blaming the child for who their parent is…shameful.” Several pairs of eyes watched as the woman made her way towards where Rin and Mephisto were. Rin got his first glance at the newcomer and stifled a gasp at her appearance. She wasn’t fully human. Her demonic features swept that out the door really quick. Red fox ears matched the nine tails that waved around her head. He briefly thought of Kamiki’s Byakko summons when he saw her. She turned to face him, violet eyes twinkling as she smiled at him. Her knee-length, fiery red hair that matched her ears and tails was held back in a low pony-tail. The lack of exorcist attire made him wonder at first if she was an exorcist or some other group affiliation.

“Welcome, Lady Uzumaki-Namikaze.” Mephisto couldn’t be happier at seeing the red-haired woman standing before him. He knew from experience, witnessing first-hand how the council cowered before her wrathful temper. Her nickname, the “Red Hot-Blooded Habanero”, wasn’t just for show. Rin would be safe under her tutelage. Although Mephisto had control over both the academy and True Cross, even he knew Rin wouldn’t be given the education he needed. His heritage from Satan would cause instructors to treat him differently than they would someone like Rin’s classmates. Their fear and hatred were something they refused to let go of. That would cause Rin to be at a disadvantage in the fight to destroy Satan. Despite what others might claim, Mephisto wasn’t totally heartless. The demon king had seen Rin’s classmates’ reaction to his secret being revealed. Rin might not be showing it now, but Mephisto had seen the anguished look on his younger brother’s face. Once his friends, they’d been quick to turn their backs on him. Whether it was from fear or disgust, he wasn’t certain. Taking Rin away from here might be what he needed to truly become the exorcist he was meant to be. And if Kushina would take him, all the better in his opinion. “I see you’re the only one to accept my wager.”

People craned their necks to see the newcomer, voices whispering anew at having another demon in their midst. Furtive glances were swept towards the Grigori, gauging their response to Kushina’s presence in their chamber. What did this mean? Was she going to take Satan’s spawn and train him?! Unthinkable. Absurd. It shouldn’t be allowed to happen. Having a demon holding another demon’s leash? That was asking for disaster to happen!

The Grigori seethed silently as Kushina made herself known. Was Mephisto somehow able to summon her here? It was a possibility, given that he was the demon king of time and space. And leave it to the bastard to throw a wrench in the trial. He was notorious for ensuring that things eventually went his way, not caring what he had to do to make it happen. Having been in attendance at the meetings, he would know about the Grigori’s past run-ins with the Uzumaki-Namikaze matriarch. They respected her power, but that was all. It galled them to admit that fact, but her power alone made them hold their tongues and be somewhat respectful. The nine-tails line of fox demons wielded immense power and only a fool would risk going up against a demon that powerful. They might be a lot of things, certainly, but they weren’t stupid enough to risk her ire. “Yes, Lady Uzumaki-Namikaze, welcome. Since you’ve been… _briefed_ on what is going on, what is your opinion in this matter?”

Kushina smiled at Mephisto. She knew what the other demon had been planning when he sent her the message about Rin. And she agreed with it. Admittedly, she loved nothing more than sticking it to those bastards on the council. Mephisto’s plan would accomplish this in spades. “I came as soon as I heard what was going on. So, you’re telling me young Rin is the son of Satan? Huh…no wonder everyone’s got their panties in a twist.” Walking over to where Rin was kneeling, she sank to her knees, her violet eyes gazing at the young man. Blue flames crackled around him, his fangs protruding slightly over his bottom lip. His demonic features weren’t too prominent, excluding his tail and flames, which she knew was kept hidden. It wasn’t until he unleashed Kurikara that his features became fully demonic, with the addition of his blue flames. She saw those dark blue eyes staring back at her, pleading silently, the hidden despair she saw there tugging at her maternal side. Briefly, her son Naruto’s image was transposed over Rin’s, and she knew what needed to be done.

Rising to her feet, she brushed off her pants legs. Turning to face the council, she assessed their reactions as she spoke her next words. “You want to know my opinion? I think what you’ve done to this boy is total bullshit! From my understanding, he has a fraternal twin, correct? So, why is young Rin the only one here being put on trial? Oh, that’s right, because he was unfortunate enough to inherit Satan’s flames. You treat Rin like a wild animal that needs to be caged, yet his twin is treated like he’s human. If he hadn’t made the calculated risk to use his flames, you’d be planning funerals right now instead of having this farce of a trial. Tch…you’re nothing but a bunch of pathetic hypocrites who need a damn wake-up call.” Ignoring their sputters of outrage, she turned to look at Mephisto. “That settles it. He’s coming with me. My academy is the one place where he’ll feel at home and be able to continue his schooling and training. Not to mention, being allowed to live a normal teenage life. Is there anyone here who is opposed to my suggestion?” Shocked silence followed her words and she smirked. _Checkmate, bitches._ “I thought so. Does the council have anything they’d like to add?”

Seething at the red-head’s words, they forced themselves to not show their anger. That would only validate Kushina’s accusations. As they whispered furiously, heads bent together, they decided to throw a spanner in the woman’s suggestion. Although they had to concede that it was the best option, since it removed Rin from their presence, they would never let her know that. “We have one condition. Rin Okumura must pass the exorcist authorization exam which will be held in six months’ time.” The council sat back, acting smug, as they knew she’d probably object to their condition.

Rin’s heart dropped in his chest. Were they joking? How could he be expected to pass that in only six months? He knew where he was currently and that made him a dead man walking. Just by their words alone, the condescending smug tone, they were expecting him to fail. Wanting it to happen. Then he’d be another problem out of their hair. Feeling a hand firmly grasp his shoulder, he glanced up to see Kushina staring intently at him.

“You’re not going to allow them to get away with thinking you’re nothing, are you? It’s time to show those high-and-mighty bastards just what you’re made of, ya know! You’re not alone anymore, Rin. I’ll make sure of that.”

His eyes widened at her words. Finally, someone besides Shiro who stood up for him, knowing what he was. Not trusting himself to speak, he nodded his head, watching as the smile spread over her face in response. Deep down, he felt he could trust her. She had no reason to want to help him that would benefit her. Kushina saw someone who was hurting and needed help, nothing more or less. Rin couldn’t help but be in awe as she turned her attention towards Angel, feeling the overwhelming spiritual pressure that emanated from the woman. He heard the shuffled footsteps as the older man almost fell backwards in his attempt to get away from Kushina, his sword making a loud clank as it struck the floor. That alone should have scared Rin in the fact there was someone that made Angel cower. Turning his attention back, he saw why the man had been scared. Her spiritual pressure alone was impressive. But to see the ends of her hair waving around her head like miniature fox tails almost made him cower with the Paladin. Add to the fact, her eyes had turned red and slitted with her tails joining the dance her hair made. Now he saw why she was formidable and could understand Mephisto’s decision to contact her. She wouldn’t allow the council to intimidate her and he realized he’d finally be safe.

Taking her outstretched hand, he rose to his feet, his flames dissipating as his anger receded. They left the chamber with Shura and Mephisto following. Once securely seated in the demon king’s office, it was only then that Rin felt he could relax.

Shura eyed the other female, her mind wondering if this was all a trap. “Are you sure ya can trust her, Mephisto? Can she protect Rin from anything they have planned?”

Mephisto laughed as he settled into his desk chair. “My dear Shura, the Grigori would have to be fools to go up against Kushina. She’s formidable by herself, but that’s not all. The Uzumaki-Namikaze clan have strong allies who would have no problem going up against the Grigori or anyone else who threatened them. But to get to the heart of the matter, I want you to continue Rin’s sword training along with whoever Kushina picks. The council thought we would object to the six-month window in which Rin would have to take the exorcist exam. They thought wrong. Rin will be ready and he will exceed all expectations. Kushina and her allies will make certain of it.”

Satisfied at the headmaster’s response, Shura nodded in approval. “Alright, I will. I assume you’re not mentioning any of this to the others until everything’s already been done, correct? Still makes me angry how they reacted. None of this was Rin’s fault, but they’ve already made their decision, I suppose.”

Mephisto waved his hand nonchalantly. “I’ll tell them in good time, don’t worry. Since young Yukio is off on an assignment now, it’s the perfect time to gather Rin’s things and leave without an audience.”

“An assignment I’m sure you gave him at the last minute,” Shura replied, her eyes staring suspiciously at the demon king.

“Merely a trivial coincidence, I assure you.” He looked over at Rin who had been unusually silent during their exchange. “Rin,” he started, “are you fine with all of this? In the end, this is your decision. We’re not trying to force anything on you.”

That seemed to break Rin out of his stupor. Shooting up from his chair, he began to pace back and forth agitatedly. Finally working through what he wanted to say, he turned his attention to his small audience. “Why shouldn’t I be alright with it?! What reason do I have to stay here? Stay and be treated like a pariah? Nah, I don’t think so. They’ve shown me what they think of me, my brother included, so I have no reason to object to Kushina-san’s proposal. Do you know what it’s like having your brother repeatedly threaten to shoot you, holding you responsible for your father’s death? The quicker I leave here, the happier I’ll be.” Pausing for a moment, he added, “They don’t deserve to know where I’ve gone or for me to say goodbye to them.”

Kushina couldn’t help it as her mouth hung open at Rin’s words. The poor boy. It was worse than she’d previously thought. “Rin, I’m so sorry you’ve had to endure that. I can promise you on the Uzumaki-Namikaze name, that you will not be treated like that where you’re going. We will make sure you have a proper home where you can feel safe and wanted.”

* * *

The boys’ dormitory where Rin lived with his brother was empty, the silence stifling as they made their way to the room the twins shared. As he turned his key in the lock, Rin was glad for once that no one else was around. It made leaving here so much easier.

Kushina’s lips thinned into a frown as she saw where Rin had been made to live. Mephisto had briefed her ahead of time, true, but to actually see it was something else entirely. Denied this boy the comforts of a real home and had him live with his twin in an abandoned dormitory. They didn’t want the demon staying with humans, apparently, and it infuriated the woman. This was no way to treat a boy who’d lost the only father he’d ever known and then had to come to terms with his demonic heritage being hidden from him for sixteen years.

Walking into the room behind Rin, she could automatically tell whose bed was the older twin’s. It reminded her so much of how her son kept his own room. A black blur shot past her ankles before she could blink, watching as it threw itself onto Rin’s shoulders. This must be Rin’s familiar, a cat sidh named Kuro. She could hear the frantic little voice as he started talking to Rin.

 **“Rin, where have you been?! It’s been so crazy around here and no one would tell me anything or where you were!”** Feeling another demonic presence, he turned his head and spotted Kushina standing in the doorway. Whoever she was, she was strong. Kuro felt the overwhelming urge to hide behind Rin, but he saw that Rin was okay with her. If Rin wasn’t reacting negatively to her, then she must be safe.

“It’s okay, Kuro. I’m sorry, buddy, but we’re leaving the academy. It’s for the best. Kushina-san will make sure we’re safe.”

Kuro’s eyes widened as he listened to what Rin told him. **“But why?”**

Rin sighed as he walked over to his bed and grabbed his bag. “Due to Amaimon being a bastard and threatening everyone at the camp, I was forced to use Kurikara. Which led to my flames being exposed and they know I’m a demon now – specifically the son of Satan.” Packing up everything he owned didn’t take that long, a sad fact actually now that he thought about it. Kuro had been silent after what he told him and had instead snuggled against Rin, acting as a support for the young half-demon. Closing the last bag, he faced Kushina. “I’m ready, Kushina-san.”

She nodded, taking a set of keys out of her pocket. “Let’s go home then, Rin.” Going to the nearest door, she inserted her key into the lock, twisting it. As the door opened, Rin could feel the warm, dry air as it caressed his face. Where ever they were going seemed to be a lot different than Japan, but it would so be worth it to get away from his past and present troubles.

* * *

_Well, we’ve come to the end of our first chapter. It amazed me how well this chapter just seemed to write itself. It just wouldn’t stop until I’d written and rewritten it, making sure I had it exactly as it should go._

**_ Chapter 2 Preview _ ** _: We get to see the fallout from both Rin leaving and the discovery of his demon heritage. What will everyone’s reactions be? Will it make them regret their actions or will they remain firm with how they feel about Rin being the son of Satan?_


	2. Don't Forget About Me

_Wow…it’s great to see how much everyone liked the first chapter of this story! I’m just glad that I was able to write the characters how they should be. With that said, welcome to the 2 nd chapter of my story!_

_In this chapter, I’m writing it slightly different, since the chapter in the manga was done another way. Everything will still fit, so expect good angsty drama._

**_ Chapter song list _ ** _: These are the songs I listened to while writing this chapter. Feel free to listen to them while reading. “Better Place” and “Say Goodbye” – Citizen Soldier; “Last One Standing” – Icon for Hire; and “Sorry” – Daughtry (this is played during Ryuuji’s little introspection)._

**_ Disclaimer: _ ** _I don’t own the characters of Blue Exorcist or Naruto. All characters belong to Kazue Kato and Masashi Kishimoto. No profit is being made from the writing of this story._

* * *

**_"I’m something you’ll regret losing, I can promise you that much.”_ **

Yukio was worried about his brother. He tried not to show it, but the feeling persisted like an incessant itch in the back of his mind. Something had gone wrong and he couldn’t put his finger on it. It had been too quiet after Rin had been whisked away after the training camp fiasco. That, in itself, should have been his first warning sign. He had noticed that something was different when he returned from his sudden mission assigned to him by Mephisto. Rin, Kuro, and their belongings were gone from the twins’ room. Just Yukio’s stuff remained as a reminder that someone resided there. The timing of it all hadn’t escaped his notice. But to what end? What had happened at the trial? Was Rin’s disappearance a byproduct of that? He shook his head to clear his thoughts as he entered the cram school classroom.

The classroom held its usual occupants, minus Konekomaru, who was still in the hospital. Glancing around quickly, his blue eyes didn’t spot his older brother anywhere. His theory that something had happened was now swiftly proving itself. He allowed his mind to drift back to the day before, remembering having to tell his students about Rin’s true heritage.

_The air in the room was tense. No one seemed to move, as if in a daze, as they tried to process what had happened. In such a short span of time, their perception of who they thought Rin was had been irrevocably shattered. Rin was a half-demon. But not just any demon…the blue flames signified who his sire was. None other than Satan himself. A demon who had killed countless lives on the Blue Night. Their sworn enemy._

_Yukio sighed as he began to tell them about Rin, his hands folded tightly in his lap. “Okumura-kun…no, Rin Okumura is the child born of a human woman that Satan’s possessed body impregnated around fifteen years ago. He inherited Satan’s blue flames.”_

_Konekomaru spoke up, his tentative voice breaking the silence. “Um…Okumura-sensei…isn’t it true that you’re Okumura-kun’s twin brother, right?”_

_Yukio nodded at the teen’s words. “I didn’t inherit the flames. I undergo daily check-ups, but surprisingly enough, I’m just your average human. However, Kurikara can no longer hold his flames in check. His power was awoken approximately three months ago. Until then, Rin was brought up without any knowledge of who he really was.”_

_Ryuuji spoke up next, his voice raspy and hoarse from the abuse his throat had received at the hands of Amaimon. “Why? What was he raised for?”_

_“To be frank, I don’t understand it either. Sorry, but that’s all I know about this.”_

Before he could begin the day’s lecture, he saw Shima’s hand raise in the air. “Yes, Shima-kun? What is it?”

“We noticed that Okumura-kun isn’t here. Did something happen after yesterday?”

Yukio sighed, as he took off his glasses and rubbed his nose tiredly. Placing his glasses back on his face, he looked out at the teens sitting in the room. They still seemed wary at the mention of his brother’s name, something he had expected after their seeing Rin’s demonic form. “To be honest? I have no idea. Last night, when I returned from my mission, nii-san’s things were gone from the room. I haven’t been notified about his current whereabouts or what went down yesterday.”

Before anyone else could interrupt, the door flew open with a loud bang with Shura standing in the doorway. Mephisto stood behind her, his knowing gaze raking over the assembled students in the room. Shura’s dark scowl made even Yukio want to back away as he watched her eyes sweep over the room. To his knowledge, he had never seen the woman this angry. They knew where Rin was. He’d bet his life on it. “Shura-san, Sir Pheles, I’m assuming you both have news on nii-san?” The teen did flinch then as Shura’s razor-sharp glare landed on him.

“Oh, _now_ you’re wanting to know how your brother is, huh?” she drawled, her tone simmering with anger. “I seemed to notice that you were conspicuously absent at his trial.” Her attention swung from Yukio to the rest of the Exwires. “I expected better from all of you. Although, I suspected how it would all end if you ever found out Rin’s parentage. To say I’m disappointed is a huge understatement.”

The sound of hands clapping broke the unnatural silence that followed her words. “Yes,” Mephisto continued, picking up from Shura, “congratulations are in order. You must be so proud of yourselves after you shattered Rin’s heart by turning away from him. After all, he’s just a demon, correct? It shouldn’t matter how you treated him. Did you know that his forming friendships with all of you was the one thing that helped protect him from fully embracing his demonic side? Well, you’re not the first to treat him so callously. At first, he didn’t want to open himself up to any of you, due to past experiences. But he tried once more and we can see where it got him, can’t we?”

With a nod from Shura, he materialized a large mirror. “Before you start spouting off about him lying to you all this time, know this. He was under orders from me to not let anyone know his secret or accidentally display his flames. Remember all those times he’s saved you? Try doing what he did with that handicap. He’s risked everything to protect you and yet you feel as though _you’re_ the victims? Let’s see if you still feel that way once you’ve viewed this.”

Yukio seemed to withdraw into himself as he saw Rin’s memories begin to display themselves for all to see. Some he had witnessed first-hand. Others…well, these were new to him. He found that he couldn’t avert his eyes as he watched the images flicker by.

_A young Rin protecting his younger brother from bullies. Witnessing his temper, even at such a young age, as he fought to protect himself and his twin. Listening, his small face set in a scowl, as they called him a demon child to his face. The only one able to calm Rin down was Father Fujimoto. The priest constantly reassured the young child that he wasn’t a demon. How he shouldn’t let others get to him and cause him to be angry. The young boy tried, so desperate to want friends, but it was to no avail. They all viewed him as a demon child and would continue to treat him as such._

Shiemi couldn’t hold back her tears as she saw what Rin’s childhood had been like. So similar to hers…she now understood his words from when they first met. He had known what it was like to be alone. Her guilt multiplied, a heavy weight on her heart. She had to make things right between them! But how?

_The fighting never stopped, much to his father and brother’s consternation. The treatment Rin had received in his childhood had continued until junior high. He got so frustrated from his teachers’ indifference to his problems with learning material for his classes. Not to mention the ostracization from his peers. It all culminated in his refusal to even go back to school. The fight with Shiratori and his cronies after their cruel treatment of those pigeons. He tried to get jobs, but they all ended the same. His employment never lasted long before something bad happened. It wasn’t his fault he could see things others couldn’t!_

_Then came that fateful night. Shiro exorcising the Astaroth-possessed Shiratori and then telling Rin that he was a half-demon and the offspring of Satan. How the demons attacking them would stop at nothing until they’d brought Rin back to Satan. Once they arrived home, Shiro and the other priests began to place protection barriers that surrounded the chapel. Following Shiro to a secret room, he watched as the older man brought out a katana, telling him that Kurikara was his now. The sword had been used to seal his demonic powers since birth, but it was getting to the point where it could no longer contain them. Giving Rin a phone and key, he told him to leave. That if anything were to happen to Shiro, to call the number that was in the phone and they would help him. He then pleaded with Rin to never unsheathe the sword. Once it was unsheathed, Rin would never be able to go back to being human ever again. Shiratori’s possessed body, along with his demon minions started ambushing the church, eventually being pushed back by Shiro and the priests._

Here, Mephisto paused the flow of memories. He gauged the reactions of the Exwires and saw how they were beginning to regret their actions. But it was a case of too little, too late. “I should warn you…it gets worse after this point. Especially for you, Okumura-kun.” With that said, he resumed the show with a snap of his fingers.

_Rin’s argument with Shiro – a moment that still haunted his nightmares. Seeing the older man slap Rin across his face after being accused of just wanting to be rid of the teen since all he caused was trouble. Rin’s horrified face as he saw his adoptive father get possessed by Satan, who wanted to drag him back to Gehenna. The Gehenna Gate, opened by Satan, that sucked both Rin and Shiro into its inky, black depths. Shiro managing to regain control of his body, stabbing himself in the heart to end Satan’s possession of his body. Shiro proclaiming to a shocked Rin that the teen had always been his son before dying. This shook Rin out of his stupor and he drew out Kurikara, destroying the gate. Rin seated next to his father’s corpse, sobbing hysterically as he leaned on Kurikara, his hands shaking wildly._

_The day of Shiro’s funeral. Rin stayed behind, staring solemnly at his father’s grave, Kurikara slung across his back in its red bag. Bringing out the cell phone he was given, he was about to dial it when the sound of a phone ringing broke the silence in the graveyard. Standing before him was Mephisto Pheles who had come with a team of Exorcists who surrounded Rin. Rin was given three choices: him killing them; allowing them to kill Rin; or Rin committing suicide. Rin grew angry, yelling that he wouldn’t do any of those. He was going to be an exorcist, so no one else would have to die. Blue eyes glared at Mephisto as the demon laughed uproariously at his words. In the end, Mephisto accepted Rin’s idea and told him he will be starting at True Cross Academy._

Yukio sat stupefied as he saw what Rin had endured the night their father died. He’d been so wrapped up in his own grief and anger, he’d not even given the idea consideration that his brother might be suffering just as much. If not more than he was. His angry words, pointing his gun at his twin and threatening to shoot him…god, he’d been such an asshole to Rin.

Ryuuji and Shima recalled Rin’s declaration that he would destroy Satan. They now realized how true his words had been when he’d declared that. It hadn’t just been youthful boasting. The half-demon had a right to bear his grudge against the demon who was his father.

_Mephisto warning Rin to control his temper, since his blue flames responded to his emotions and would be a dead giveaway to others as to his identity. He was given a key that allowed him to enter the school for Exorcists from any door. That was the day he met his classmates/teammates. His argument with Yukio as the younger twin revealed he had received a mashou from Rin when they were born, causing him to see demons. How Yukio had known for years what Rin was and had been training as an Exorcist in secret. The vial of liquid that got shattered and started attracting hobgoblins. While they were fighting them, Yukio called Rin an idiot and accused him of being the reason Shiro was dead. He raised his gun, the barrel pointing steadily at Rin’s head. Rin conceded to being called an idiot, but he said he’d be damned if he let Yukio point his gun at him._

The next memories were skipped, instead showing them Rin’s trial. No memory was spared as they witnessed the Grigori’s version of a trial. The pain Rin must be feeling as Angel slammed his sword into the teen’s ankle, slicing it cruelly. Hearing his tortured screams of pain. Rin was paraded like an animal that had been caught in the wild, to the crowd’s amusement. The Exwires saw their expressions, how they seemed happy that the half-demon was in obvious pain. The various comments about his demonic attributes, the thinly veiled sneers that lined their voices. This wasn’t a trial…it was just an excuse to show their power over Rin. Mephisto’s explanation of what happened sixteen years ago. How Rin was to be raised as a weapon against Satan. Rin’s outburst, his flames flickering wildly around him even though Kurikara was sheathed. Then came a new player to the stage as Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze made her appearance.

Izumo gasped as she saw the woman. Growing up, she’d heard about Kushina, given that the woman came from a long line of nine-tailed fox demons. To see her in the flesh was unsettling at best. This was a woman who wouldn’t be trifled with and it was refreshing to see her put the Grigori in their place. Especially when she saw the woman unleash her killing intent towards Angel.

The mirror grew black soon after and Mephisto dispersed it with a snap of his fingers. “As of yesterday, Rin Okumura is no longer enrolled here at the academy or an Exwire with True Cross. Kushina-san will be the one to oversee his education now.”

Those words unleashed hell as everyone started to react. Yukio, surprisingly, was the most vocal. “You just let that woman take my brother?! Have you lost leave of your senses? The Grigori basically gave him a death sentence and you just allow some stranger, who’s also a _demon_ , to take the son of Satan to who knows where!”

Shura gave a dismissive snort. “Can’t see why you’re complaining so loud, Scaredy-Four-Eyes. He’s out of your hair now, ain’t he? You don’t have to act as his guard anymore, like he was some kind of ticking time bomb. Don’t think that I didn’t suspect you felt that way. I’m a lot of things, but stupid’s not one of ‘em.”

Izumo spoke up next. “Unlike everyone else, I never had a problem with Okumura being a half-demon. There’s lots of people in this organization who have some sort of demon blood in them. And I can vouch for Kushina-san. She’s regarded highly where I come from. Her lineage alone makes her legendary.”

Shiemi and the others couldn’t believe what they had seen. Rin had never mentioned anything about how Yukio treated him in private, away from everyone else. From what they’d been shown, deep down the younger twin considered Rin to be a burden, due to his being forced to guard his brother. A brother whom he considered to be their father’s murderer. Everything made sense now, but they’d let their emotions blind them to how the other teen felt. Rin had a hard childhood and it had never gotten better, culminating in the reason he was here at the academy.

Ryuuji voiced the question everyone wanted to know. “Is Okumura okay? After what happened…” He found he couldn’t finish the sentence. Deep down, he knew the answer, but wanted to hear it confirmed.

“ _You_ want to know if he’s alright? After how you treated him?” Shura cackled raucously, her laughter filling the silent room. “How the fuck do you think he is, huh? The people who he thought of as family turning on him like he’s the devil himself. He’s been treated as worthless by people his whole life. When he came here, he finally started to heal a little. But you’ve all pretty much destroyed any healing that may have occurred. Ya wanna know his parting words when he was asked about leaving? He said, and I quote, ‘Why shouldn’t I be alright with it?! They’ve shown me what they think of me, my brother included, so I have no reason to object to Kushina-san’s proposal. Do you know what it’s like having your brother repeatedly threaten to shoot you, holding you responsible for your father’s death? The quicker I leave here, the happier I’ll be. They don’t deserve to know where I’ve gone or for me to say goodbye to them.”

Mephisto cut in, “I wouldn’t worry about Rin’s supposed death sentence. Knowing Kushina-san, she and her allies will ensure he passes with flying colors. You should feel grateful to Kushina-san, Okumura-kun. She took the burden of your brother off of your shoulders, did she not? It’s not as though you have to worry about his safety or safeguarding his secret now. Kushina-san is nothing if not protective. Rin will have a good home with her and his new classmates.” With that parting salvo, he and Shura exited the room, knowing their words and seeing Rin’s memories would make everyone see how their actions had consequences. They had likely permanently damaged any ties between themselves and Rin.

* * *

Konekomaru grew worried as he saw his friends walk into his room later that evening. The Exwires were silent, their expressions solemn. “Has something happened? What did I miss?”

Ryuuji slumped into the chair next to Koneko’s bed. “Okumura…we were so wrong.” He acted as though it physically pained him to speak about the young half-demon.

Seeing this, Koneko turned his attention to Shima. “Has something happened with Okumura-kun? Please tell me what’s happened!”

Shima spoke, his voice unusually quiet. “What Bon’s trying to say is that we royally fucked up. Shura-san and Sir Pheles showed us everything that’s happened in Okumura-kun’s past. Not until they’d given us a chewing-out first. God…his whole life’s been a lie. He grew up thinking he was a normal kid, even though he never had a normal childhood. If it wasn’t him being bullied, it was his brother. Constantly being called a demon since he was a kid.”

Izumo took up the story next. “His heritage was kept from him by both his father and Okumura-sensei. It wasn’t until the night his father died that he discovered who his true father was and that he was a half-demon. How would you feel if you were told you had three options and all of them ended with you being killed? It’s no wonder he didn’t want to get to know us at first. Especially when your own brother blames you for your adoptive father’s death and constantly threatens to shoot you.”

Konekomaru gaped at her words. “What?! Okumura-sensei did _that_?!” He recalled how the other teen had acted when discussing his brother’s powers. How detached he had seemed, as if he was doing nothing more than delivering a lecture. “His behavior the other night makes sense now. He had no emotion when he was discussing Okumura-kun.”

“And that farce of a trial.” Ryuuji’s growled words caught Koneko’s attention. “They were basically condemning him because he fucking _existed_! Saying he should have been killed when he was born! The only reason he was allowed to live was to become a weapon to fight against Satan! Okumura-sensei’s also the son of Satan, but he wasn’t made to stand trial either. Why? Why is Okumura targeted, but not Okumura-sensei?”

“Because of the fact that Okumura-kun has the flames and sensei doesn’t.” Shima responded. “It all comes down to the fact that they’re scared of Okumura-kun. And we didn’t act much better. As soon as we saw his demon form, we reacted the same way and turned on him. Sir Pheles was right. Okumura-kun always tried to protect us, but not being able to use his powers fully made it harder than it should have.”

“Because he didn’t want to lose his first friends. He considered us not only his friends, but we were also like family to him.” Shiemi whispered, her voice thick with tears. “That’s what he meant when I first met him. He knew what it was like not having friends. We were both mistreated by other kids when we were younger. And he tried so hard to help me then.” Her soft sobs had Izumo getting up to sit next to her, trying to comfort her as best she could.

Koneko was feeling guilt seep into his heart. The fear at being targeted by Amaimon had transferred to Okumura-kun when the teen had glimpsed Rin’s demon form. The sight of those blue flames reminded him of what he and others had lost on the Blue Night. He hadn’t been capable of rational thought at the time, the adrenaline racing through his body. If one looked at it rationally, he shouldn’t have been scared of the other teen. Hell, he practically threw himself into dangerous situations to protect his friends. A true demon might not have done such an act. But Rin was different. Why? Because he’d been raised as a human. He had been shown love by his adoptive father and learned to return love to others. And even when spurned as a child and treated horribly, he hadn’t lost that capacity to love. But now? It was too soon to tell. “We have to make it up to him!” The bitter sound of Ryuuji’s laughter made him look skeptically at the other teen. “Did I miss something?”

“Okumura’s not here anymore. He’s been taken to another academy. A lady by the name of Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze came here on Sir Pheles’ request. She’s not human, herself. The fox ears and tails confirmed that she’s a nine-tailed fox demon. Not to mention the damned Grigori pretty much put a death sentence on him. He only has 6 months to pass the exorcist exam. If he doesn’t, they’ll execute him.”

“Okumura-kun pretty much said he wants nothing to do with us and that we didn’t deserve to know where he was going or a goodbye from him. And he’s right. We don’t.”

Koneko’s eyes widened at both Ryuuji and Shima’s words. How had everything gone so wrong? That’s when the idea hit him. “You say he’s been given six months? Then I say we all do the same. If we can all pass the exam, then maybe we would be able to get missions where we could locate Okumura-kun. Kamiki-san, you know of this Kushina-san, correct? Do you think you can obtain more information about her? That could help us to narrow down where Okumura-kun might be. It’s a long shot, yes, but it’s better than just sitting here and allowing ourselves to wallow in guilt, even though it’s rightly deserved.” He could see their eyes brightening at his suggestion. They needed to channel their guilt into a healthy outlet. Otherwise, they’d just sink into a well of depression. “If we all help each other, then we can accomplish this. I know we can. By proving we can do this, maybe we can finally be the support Okumura-kun needs. We need to find him and apologize. He deserves that from us.”

* * *

Ryuuji couldn’t sleep. His mind was unable to calm itself after the events of the past few days. The breathing and soft snores told him that Shima was asleep. Covering his eyes, he sighed. The teen didn’t know how he should feel. Before the camping trip, he’d noticed his feelings towards the younger male changing. If he was completely honest, it started when Rin protected him from the Reaper. Not having a lot of experience in the romance department, since it had never interested him before, he hadn’t noticed it at first. Now? He was certain that he was in love with Rin Okumura. That day he hadn’t been angry at the fact that Rin was a half-demon or the son of Satan. Like you could pick who your parents were?! What infuriated him was the fact that Rin always threw himself in harm’s way to protect others without a care as to whether he was injured. Hadn’t they preached at him to rely on them for help? He groaned silently then, realizing how hypocritical they’d been. They’d destroyed the most selfless person he had ever met by turning their backs on him when he needed them most.

Turning over on his side, he heard the faint patter of rain as it hit the windows. His eyes caught sight of the hair clip lying on his bedside table, the silver metal highlighted by the light from his cellphone. He smiled, recalling how happy Rin had been that day to receive something from him. Now that he knew what Rin’s life had been like, it all made sense. Ryuuji had had to fight back the blush that threatened to suffuse his face when he saw how cute Rin had looked with his bangs pulled back. From that day on, he’d fallen deeper for the younger male. Why couldn’t he have held back his temper? His thoughtless words that day. Seeing the dejected look on Rin’s face, his blue eyes dimming like the light had been snuffed out. Hearing his heartbroken sobs when his father died. The screams of pain when he was attacked at his trial. His heart hurt seeing the pain that Rin had suffered. Was it too late for them? Could he make Rin see how he truly felt? Hopefully, Koneko’s idea would pan out and enable them to see Rin again. Closing his eyes, he prayed he wouldn’t have a new nightmare to add to his collection this night.

* * *

_All aboard the guilt train! Well, I think everyone’s been put under the wringer in this chapter._

**_ Chapter 3 Preview _ ** _: Rin has arrived at his new home. As he acclimates to new surroundings, we finally meet his new classmates/teammates. But will Rin allow himself to open up once again? Or will he decide to remain a loner?_


	3. Welcome to the Team!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin is now in his new home. Will he allow himself to open up to others again? Or will he prefer to remain a loner?

_Prepare for the longest chapter I’ve written so far for this story. We’ve now come to the part where Rin is in his new home. In this chapter, he’ll meet his new teammates/classmates. Here, he’ll have a place where he’s accepted, but will he allow himself to open up to others again?_

_This chapter took a while to get started, but once I had it like I wanted it, it just started flowing. Again, thanks to everyone who’s given their support to this story! It means a lot to me that you’re enjoying it, as much as I am writing it._

**_ Chapter song list _ ** _: Too many to list! I basically just listened to nothing but anime theme song playlists on YouTube. So great for inspiring this chapter._

 **_ Disclaimer: _ ** _I don’t own the characters of Blue Exorcist or Naruto. All characters belong to Kazue Kato and Masashi Kishimoto. No profit is being made from the writing of this story._

* * *

 **_“_ ** **_Out of the darkness, we came running. Leaving all the ghosts and our hurt behind. Leaving that bag of stones behind. In the darkness we keep running.” – “Out of the Darkness” – My Indigo_ **

As they walked through the doorway, Rin got his first glimpse of his new home. The academy that Kushina ran was smaller in size compared to that of True Cross Academy. It lacked the grandeur of Mephisto’s design, instead giving off a feel that made it seem more like a home than a school. He could see what looked to be patches of desert covering the land that surrounded the buildings and he had to wonder where he was. “Kushina-san, where are we exactly? The landscape doesn’t look like anything you’d find in Japan.”

Kushina smiled at Rin and replied, “We’re in the United States…Yuma, Arizona to be precise. Like you, my family and allies hail from Japan originally. My husband, Minato, and I wanted an area remote enough where we could move and set up our academy. I learned that there aren’t a lot of academies for exorcist training in the States, so I decided to set up here. This area is the perfect location where we can do our training without being disturbed, but close enough to get supplies and go on missions. You won’t have to suppress your demon attributes here, Rin. You can be who you are and you won’t be judged for it. We do tend to conceal our more demonic attributes if we go into town. I don’t think they’re ready to acknowledge the existence of demons just yet.”

Rin nodded his head at her answer. _Makes sense, really. Does anyone want to believe that their nightmare boogeymen are the real thing? The United States, huh? Wasn’t expecting that. Somewhere else in Japan, maybe. But it’s a change for the better._ “Thank you again, Kushina-san. This means a lot to me that you’re supporting me and allowing me the chance to come here.” _And hopefully find people who accept me for who I am. Unlike my supposed friends or twin brother._

“You’re welcome, Rin! And with that said, allow me to officially welcome you to Konoha Exorcist Academy. Come on. I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.”

Rin noted as they walked that the buildings were easy to navigate, to his immense relief. Kushina told him what each building was and he mentally filed it away so he would remember it. Kuro kept up an excited chatter to him as the cat sidhe laid eyes on his new home. They came to a small section that was labeled the boys dormitory. It looked to be a hell of a lot nicer than where he’d last stayed with Yukio. It was the furthest thing from the dilapidated building he’d been residing in since coming to True Cross. The blast of cold air hit him as they walked in and he could have cheered. They’d definitely be needing air conditioning with the infamous Arizona heat. Entering the first dorm room, he spotted the two beds situated in the space. One side of the room already looked occupied. He’d have a roommate. He could deal with it, he supposed. After all, he’d shared a room with Yukio his entire life, so at least he’d be used to it.

“You’ll be staying with my son, Naruto. The other four boys on your team share the room next door. Then we have your three female teammates who share a room in the girls’ dormitory. Once you finish unpacking, I know you’ll probably want to get freshened up. You’ve probably not been given a chance to get a shower and change into clean clothes, I’ll bet. Especially after what I saw back at the trial. When you’re ready, please come see me in my office. I showed you where it was, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding it. We’ll go over your schedule and everything there.” Fishing in her pants pocket, she pulled out a golden key. Handing it to Rin, she told him, “Here’s a key that will take you to the various buildings on campus. Due to my family having knowledge of making seals, I’ve modified the keys to respond to your voice. Just say where you want to go and the key will respond by opening the correct door. Makes things a lot easier, ya know? I’ll see you in a bit, okay?” At Rin’s nod, she left him alone to get unpacked and settled in.

Kuro hopped off of Rin’s shoulders to start exploring the room. He immediately sprang onto the bed, exclaiming at the _softness_ of it and how Rin should definitely try it out! The half-demon had to smile at seeing his familiar so happy. At least someone was. Unpacking his things didn’t take that long, but it did make it start feeling more like his home. He paused, his temporary good mood swiftly vanishing, as his fingers brushed against the metal of the hair clip Ryuuji had given him. Rin might not have displayed it that day, but it had made him so happy to receive something from the other teen. It was like a small truce between them, both acknowledging that they had the same ambition – to defeat Satan. His fingers tightened unconsciously around it, a final reminder of what and who he had left behind. Sighing in regret, he placed it down on his bedside table, turning to stare out the window. The barren, desert landscape spread out before him. The sun glinted diamond bright in shimmering ripples off of its surface, making him realize just how different it was from Japan. Deciding that wallowing in self-pity wasn’t going to get him anywhere, he gathered some clothes to change into after his shower. Sensing Kuro’s eyes on him, he turned to face his familiar. He could see the unexpressed worry in the cat sidhe’s eyes. “Don’t worry, Kuro. I’ll be fine. Why don’t you go do some exploring? I know you got tired of being cooped up in our old dorm.”

 **“Okay! I’ll be back soon so I can meet your teammates!”** The cat sidhe jumped off the bed and streaked out of the room in a black blur.

Rin shook his head fondly as he watched Kuro’s antics. Sometimes it was hard to believe he was a demon with how he acted like a domesticated house cat. A quick shower so he’d feel like his old self and then it was time to get settled in his new home.

* * *

“Naruto?” The voice of one of the blond kitsune demon’s teammates called out as she walked into the dorm room. She didn’t see any sign of her teammate in the room. “That’s weird. Could’ve sworn he was in here earlier.” The sound of the shower shutting off caught her attention. _Guess he was taking a shower. Training must have been brutal, especially given the heat._ Her violet eyes caught sight of the other bed in the room. A red sword bag and some clothes lay on the covers and she could see small knickknacks and personal items scattered on the bedside table. “Looks like our new teammate’s finally here. Wish I could’ve seen him when he arrived. He’s probably with Kushina-sensei right now.” The sound of the bathroom door opening had her turning around to greet her blond teammate and instead came face-to-face with the new arrival to their team. _Ask and you shall receive!_

She used this opportunity to get a good look at the new member of their team. He appeared to be her height; his blue-black hair slicked back from his face. The sharp points of his ears could be seen and his black fur tufted tail swayed behind him, both features denoting his demonic heritage. Shocked navy-blue eyes caught hers as she saw a red flush inch its way up his skin. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw blue flames suddenly surge outward from the teen, covering his body in a blue phosphorus-like glow. She felt the warmth emanating from the flames, not searing hot like one would expect. In his shock, he lost the grip on his towel, the material slithering down his legs to land at his feet. Momentarily stunned, she swore she saw steam rise off his skin as his embarrassed face turned a bright, cherry red. Her eyes glanced down of their own accord and she could hear the muffled squeak spill from his lips as he tried to gather his towel and cover himself again. He had a wiry build with defined muscles and other…ahem, nice attributes she shouldn’t probably be looking at right now. Trying to diffuse the awkward tension, she let out a slow whistle, telling him, “Not bad…tail’s a nice touch, by the way.” She had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing outright at his scandalized expression. “Okay, okay…I’ll turn around so you can get changed.”

As she turned around to face the doorway, Rin practically sprinted to his bed and quickly yanked his clothing on. Of course, his first meeting with one of his teammates and he’d ended up flashing her. And she was really cute at that! Definitely one of his more awkward moments. But unlike everyone else back in Japan, she hadn’t freaked out when she saw his flames. She’d seemed surprised, yes, but it had soon turned to an expression of wonder. Once he was fully dressed, he called out, “You can turn around now.” He observed as she turned around to face him again. Her burgundy-colored hair framed her face as it fell to her upper back. Violet eyes filled with laughter stared back from a heart-shaped face and he found himself relaxing around her. He could sense some kind of energy emanating from her, but it didn’t feel demonic in nature. Her accent was a little unfamiliar, the slow drawl noticeable as she spoke. But he was grateful she was speaking Japanese. He’d really have to buckle down and learn English while he was here. Reaching out a hand, he spoke, “My name’s Rin Okumura. Glad to meet you. I didn’t hurt you, did I? My flames tend to uh…get out of control depending on my emotions.”

She shook his outstretched hand, feeling the strength in his grip. The sheepish expression on his face pretty much told her that others had overreacted in response to seeing his flames, hence his worry. “You didn’t hurt me, so don’t worry! They weren’t hot at all, more like a warm, tickling sensation. I thought they were pretty to look at, myself. Sorry about startling you like that. I was looking for Naruto and assumed he was the one in the shower. Figured Kushina-sensei was meeting with you in her office, since we’d been told you’d be arriving today. Name’s Gabbie Bouderaux. Welcome to the team, Rin!”

“Thanks, Gabbie. By the way, your accent doesn’t sound Japanese, but you really seem to know the language. Are you from the States?”

Gabbie nodded. “Born and raised in Louisiana. But with Kushina-sensei’s help, I was able to learn Japanese as well. If you ever need help with learning English, or want to learn French, I could help with that. So, whatcha think of our academy so far?”

“Ah…makes sense. Hell yeah, I’d love to learn them both! That’d show everyone back home what I can really do. They all seem to think I’m just an idiot that can’t learn anything. At least that’s what it felt like. It’s been that way since I can remember. Honestly? I think I’ll fit in here better than when I was at True Cross.” His gaze unconsciously shifted back to his bedside table and the hair clip lying there.

Gabbie saw the despondent expression that crossed Rin’s face. And she felt angry at whoever had caused him to feel that way. She’d only just met the guy, but even she could tell he was a sweetheart! That was the moment she declared herself Rin’s official protector, vowing no one would ever make him wear that expression again. And she knew she wouldn’t be the only one, especially once her teammates met Rin. “I take it things didn’t end so well at your last school? Let me guess. They found out you had demonic powers and just shut you out? Typical. I bet you tried to save their bacon and they still turned on you. Well, consider me your first friend here, Rin.” She got a good look at the shirt Rin had changed into and snickered. He’d fit in just fine. The black t-shirt had a message written in white and red lettering that read: _I Am Currently Unsupervised. I know, it freaks me out, too. But the possibilities are endless!_ “You’ll have no problem getting along with Naruto. You two seem to have similar personalities. And trust me, the others will like you once they really get to know you. Some of the guys may seem standoffish at first, but they’re great guys! They’ve just gotta warm up to you.”

Rin’s heart warmed at Gabbie’s words. It felt so good that someone instantly accepted him, understanding what he’d been through. If he’d entertained any doubts about his decision to come here, Gabbie had obliterated them with her actions. “That means a lot to me, Gabbie. I can’t even begin to explain how much it means to finally be accepted. I didn’t want to lie to everyone about who I was, but I was told to keep it a secret by Mephisto. And it backfired spectacularly once they found out. I think it was mostly because of who my real father was that made them shun me.”

Gabbie had a sneaking suspicion who it was, but asked anyway. “And he would be?”

“Satan. I didn’t know myself until a few months ago. That and my heritage had been kept a secret from me all my life by my adoptive father and twin brother.”

She couldn’t believe that people shunned him for that reason. You can’t pick who your parents are. His father was the king of demons. Big deal. It didn’t mean Rin was exactly like him. “So, let me get this straight. You were being ostracized because of who your father is? That’s fucking rubbish! Ya don’t get to pick your damn parents! I’m guessing your twin is the more human looking of the both of you, since he’s not here as well. Hypocrites. I might be sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong, but to me they’re acting like a bunch of idiots who’re letting their fears get the best of ‘em. I’m glad that you’re here instead of being treated like their little whipping boy. Serves ‘em right that you left. If they can’t see how great you are, then that’s their loss.”

Rin grinned at Gabbie, so thankful he’d had the chance to meet her. She was like a cheering squad wrapped up in one person. Then he remembered that he was supposed to meet Kushina. “Crap! I forgot that I needed to go meet with Kushina-san!”

“Oops…sorry about that! I tend to prattle on at times. My grandmère always said that my name fit because of my love of talking. Come on! I’ll walk with you, if you don’t mind?”

Rin grabbed Kurikara and slung it across his back. “That’s fine, Gabbie. I’d really like that.”

* * *

Kushina glanced up at the knock at her office door. Her husband, Minato, stood framed in the doorway. She felt her mood instantly lift at the sight of him. “Come on in, Minato.” Her violet eyes drifted back to look at the paperwork that Mephisto had given her in concern to Rin. And the more she had read, the madder she became at how they’d mistreated him. “I could use a small break before I do or say something I shouldn’t.”

Minato sat down in the chair across from his wife’s desk. Eyeing Kushina carefully, he asked, “I take it things went well? Did Rin come back with you?” At her nod, he relaxed. “That’s great! I remember how upset you were with the whole situation. But there’s something else about it that’s bothering you, isn’t there?”

Kushina leaned back in her chair, her eyes darkening as she recalled the day’s events. “Let’s just say that I had to restrain my temper or there would have been a massacre today. I couldn’t _believe_ how those cretins were treating that poor boy! They threw their hatred of Satan, his father, onto Rin. Basically, treating him as if he was the king of Hell himself! Their so-called Paladin had sliced his fucking sword into the boy’s ankle to keep him restrained! What kind of bastard does that?! And once his fellow Exwires found out his heritage, they turned on him as well. Well, no more! He will not be treated as though he’s some sort of rampaging beast while he’s here, ya know!”

Minato could see why his wife was so upset. “Damn. Poor kid. He’s had it rough. Who do you have him staying with?”

“Naruto. When he looked at me at his trial, I could see the pleading expression in his eyes. He wanted someone to accept him so badly, someone who wouldn’t treat him as something evil or a weapon. And in that moment, I could see Naruto in Rin’s eyes and imagined if it were him in that situation. That’s when I knew he needed to be taken away from there. I believe they’ll have no problem getting along. Hopefully, Naruto will help Rin heal some. You know how easy he tends to make friends. That’s not the only thing, though. Those damned Grigori bastards gave an ultimatum. Rin has to pass the exorcist exam in six months or they’ll execute him.” Her tails vibrated with unleashed anger behind her as she recalled their smug expressions as they handed down their sentence. “They’re damned lucky I didn’t unleash nine levels of Hell on their ancient asses. Mephisto did the right thing in contacting us so we could get Rin out of that toxic environment.”

Minato had to wonder if they knew just how lucky they were to have escaped Kushina’s wrath. He shuddered in fear at the mental image. Some people just didn’t know when to quit pushing their luck. “Well, I think with our help, Rin will have no problem passing the exam.” He paused, noticing the stacks of paperwork on Kushina’s desk. “That all came from Mephisto? And I’m assuming that’s also playing a factor in your mood worsening?” At her nod, he asked, “How bad is it?”

“Based on what I’ve seen of Rin’s past and current schoolwork and grades, I’m beginning to believe he might be dyslexic. And it angers me that no one’s picked up on it and tried to help him! Instead, they treat him as though he’s too stupid and lazy to learn the material properly. I want Iruka to test him for dyslexia. And if he is dyslexic, we’re going to start implementing techniques to help him with his schoolwork. He has no problems with training. Like Naruto, he seems to learn best with a hands-on approach. Also, his adoptive father’s mentee, Shura Kirigakure, will be assisting in Rin’s training with his sword, Kurikara. It was her mentor’s wish that should something happen to him, she would train Rin in how to use the sword. I know that Itachi mostly trains Sasuke, but I’m going to ask him if he wouldn’t mind assisting Shura in helping Rin. We’re going to show those bastards back in Japan just what we can do! I’m going to make them regret ever treating Rin that way.”

Minato smiled bemusedly at his wife’s fiery expression. She was a woman on a mission and he pitied the fool who stood in her way. “I’ll let everyone know that we’re going to hold a meeting after the team meeting. You never know. You might have more volunteers than you think.” Hearing a sudden knock on the door, they both glanced up to see Rin standing in the doorway with Gabbie. Seeing the burgundy-haired teen, he knew that Rin was in good hands. Gabbie was known for being fiercely protective of those she deemed her friends and family. “Hello, Gabbie. I didn’t expect to see you this afternoon.”

“Hello, Minato-sensei, Kushina-sensei! I, ah, sort of ran into Rin here when I was looking for Naruto. It’s my fault if he’s late, Kushina-sensei! You know how I tend to talk unless someone tells me to shut up. I sort of held Rin up due to that.”

Kushina couldn’t help but be happy that Rin had met Gabbie first. “It’s okay, Gabbie. No one’s in trouble, so don’t worry. If you would, please tell your teammates that I want them all to meet us in about an hour so we can introduce them to Rin. And tell Naruto to keep an eye on Kurama. I don’t want him pestering Rin’s familiar, Kuro. The same goes for Gaara and Shukaku.”

“Will do, Kushina-sensei!” Impulsively, she gave Rin a quick kiss on his cheek, waving goodbye to him as she ran out the door.

Rin’s face flamed at the gesture. He could hear the whispered, "Looks like Itachi-kun has some competition!" When he saw Kushina and Minato’s knowing looks, his face reddened further. Having never met the blond-haired man sitting across from Kushina, he bowed and stated, “My name is Rin Okumura. It’s nice to meet you, Minato-san.” Despite what some might think, Rin _did_ have manners and knew when to use them.

Minato couldn’t help but smile at the teen standing in front of him. He could see why Kushina was so fond of him. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Rin! Don’t worry about being so formal. We’re all family here.” He motioned for Rin to take the seat next to his.

Rin seated himself, spotting the vast amount of paperwork that littered Kushina’s desk, all bearing the crest of True Cross. Gulping nervously, he could only imagine what it all said. Probably about how he was a lousy student and other derogatory comments about his character. What the fuck did they know?! They had only known him a little over three months. Who did they think they were to judge who he was in such a short span of time? And whatever opinion they had was tainted by who his father was. It seemed as though he couldn’t get away from the looming ghosts of his past. His face clouded at the thought of what Kushina must think of him after she’d had a chance to glance over it all. Maybe she was regretting her decision to let him come here.

Sensing the change in Rin’s mood, Kushina watched worriedly as she saw his expression change to one of sadness. “Rin, what’s wrong? Has someone said something to you?” She exchanged a concerned glance with Minato. “You can tell us what’s wrong, sweetie. No one’s going to judge you here.”

Glancing up, he saw that both adults were looking at him with concern written on their faces. Motioning towards the papers that were spread out on the desk, he hesitated before saying, “I know what those papers probably say. And it’s all about me being a terrible student and other comments my instructors chose to say. It’s like I can’t get away from it. Every teacher was the same…always complaining about how I couldn’t learn the material or when I was younger calling me a demon child. I tried to explain to them that I didn’t understand it, but they wouldn’t listen.” His voice trailed off as tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. “It really didn’t get any better when I came to True Cross. I was ridiculed for not knowing any of the material. How could I? Everyone in the cram school grew up knowing this stuff! I had no idea any of this existed until a few months ago! And I’m fucking tired of being treated like some damn idiot! If people would just give me a chance, I’d show them how intelligent I really am!” With those words, he felt the tears slip free from his eyes, trailing down his face. He heard the sound of a chair being pulled towards him and then felt himself being engulfed by a strong pair of arms.

“It’s okay, Rin. Just let it all out, son. We’re here for you. You’re not going to be mistreated ever again. Kushina and I swear on it.” He felt the sobs that were wrenched from Rin’s throat and tightened his hold on the boy. Blue eyes watched as his wife practically ran from her chair to join them. She was crying as well, her maternal instinct going haywire at seeing Rin in such pain. Her arms joined his as they both hugged Rin. Why hadn’t anyone realized just how in agony he was? Was letting their biases get the better of them worth Rin going through the pain he’d been living with?

Eventually, Rin’s sobs died down. It felt so good to get all of that off his chest. Maybe he’d been too good of an actor or everyone had just been dense when it came to his feelings. He honestly didn’t know. “I’m sorry about that,” he whispered hoarsely. “It’s just that…” He felt shuffling behind him and saw Kushina move from behind him to kneel in front of his chair. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and he realized that she’d been crying _for_ him. That fact startled him. He wanted to believe so badly that he’d found people who finally accepted him. Could he let himself open up to people just once more?

“Never apologize for that, Rin.” Kushina wiped a hand across her eyes, accepting the tissues that Minato handed her. She took one and wiped away the tears that had streaked down Rin’s face. “I’m just sorry that we couldn’t get you out of there sooner. If you’ll give us the chance, we’d like to prove to you that not everyone is going to treat you badly. We want the chance to become your family. That includes everyone on this campus. Will you allow us that opportunity?”

Rin nodded, his face finally breaking into a watery smile. “I’d like that, Kushina-san! If Gabbie is an example of how my teammates will treat me, then I’m going to try again.”

Kushina ruffled his hair, beaming. “That’s the spirit, Rin! Let’s get started then, shall we?” She got up and walked back to her desk. “I read over what Mephisto sent me. And I’m not mad at you, Rin. I’m _furious_ with those idiot professors of yours! Tell me, have you ever been tested for dyslexia?”

Rin was relieved that Kushina wasn’t angry with him. He thought for a minute before replying, “I don’t think so. What’s that?”

“It’s a learning disability where you have difficulty processing what you read. Do you have problems spelling, trying to find the right words when speaking, learning words, or even remembering stuff you’ve read?” At his hesitant nod, she replied, “Don’t be ashamed, Rin. Iruka Umino will be testing you to determine if you’re dyslexic. And if so, there are techniques we can implement to make it easier for you to do your schoolwork.”

Rin sat there astonished. “You mean I’m not stupid?! All this time I was made to feel as though I wasn’t intelligent enough, especially compared to Yukio. And I possibly have a reason why I don’t learn as well?” The very thought angered him. No one had given a crap about his needing help all those years. All that time wasted because he wasn’t considered worthy enough to be helped.

Minato couldn’t believe how badly they’d damaged the kid’s self-esteem. He found himself wishing that Kushina _had_ taken her anger out on them instead of holding it back. “You’re not stupid, Rin. Never think that. We’re all going to help you with whatever you need. You’re going to show them just who Rin Okumura is and surpass _all_ their expectations!”

“Agreed.” Kushina seconded. “The curriculum is basically the same here as it was at True Cross, so that should help ease you into it. You’ll also do your high school classes in addition to the cram school courses. We also offer one-on-one training with the instructors, much like you’ll be doing with Shura-san. Like I was telling Gabbie earlier, both my son and Gaara have familiars like Kuro. Naruto has a fox demon familiar named Kurama and Gaara has a tanuki demon familiar named Shukaku. Do you have any questions so far, Rin?”

“No, Kushina-san. It seems like I shouldn’t have a problem.”

“Okay. Now that we’ve got the boring stuff about the curriculum out of the way, let’s go meet your teammates. They’ve been curious about you ever since I told them you’d be coming here.”

* * *

Kuro couldn’t help but feel more at home here than he had in Japan. He’d been greeted by everyone he’d met and had even gotten some head scratches out of it. The cat sidhe hoped that his master would feel the same way. He’d noticed how despondent Rin could get sometimes, but others didn’t seem to notice or care. And it angered him. Rin was a wonderful master like Shiro who deserved better than he’d gotten. His tails shot straight up in agitation at the sound of yipping coming from behind him. Swiftly turning around, he saw two demons behind him. One was obviously a fox demon, his red eyes fixated on Kuro. The other seemed to be a tanuki demon, his gold eyes outlined by black rings, making him look like a panda. **“Who are you?”** he called out.

The fox answered in a raspy tone, **“My name’s Kurama. And this is Shukaku.”** He motioned to the tanuki standing beside him. **“Our masters are students here. Do you have a master as well?”**

Kuro nodded enthusiastically. **“My name is Kuro and my master is Rin and he’s the best! He’s really kind and makes the most delicious foods! Ask him to make you some! He loves cooking for people.”**

Kurama considered what Kuro was telling him. **“Does he know how to make ramen? My master, Naruto, loves that and always wants to eat it.”**

**“Yes! He knows how to make so many things. All of them are tasty!”**

That decided it for Kurama. **“I’ll have to let Naruto know. He’ll be so happy. They’re supposed to be having a team meeting soon. Want to play until it’s time to show up?”**

Kuro nodded, happy at finding new friends. He watched as Kurama and Shukaku expanded to their true sizes and he followed suit. He could never really do this back in Japan without scaring people, so this was a rare experience for him. **“Let’s go!”**

* * *

“That’s what Kushina-sensei told me. Do you know where Kurama is, Naruto?” She glanced at her friend, seeing as he tried to contact his familiar. His hand started rubbing nervously at the back of his neck and she knew something was up. “He found Kuro, didn’t he?”

“Him and Shukaku,” Naruto answered. “But it’s okay. They’re all getting along and playing. Well, as much as demons can, anyway.” He heard someone shout his name and he looked up. The rest of their team was walking towards him with Sakura in the lead. “Sakura-chan!” He waved as his girlfriend came closer. “We were just getting ready to discuss our new teammate. Gabbie’s already met him. Isn’t that right?”

Gabbie felt her face redden as she recalled how she met Rin. “You…you could say that.”

Naruto noticed her face turning scarlet and he started laughing. “What’d you do, see him naked?” As her face stained a further red, he lost it, doubling over with laughter. “Oh my god, you _did_! Our innocent Gabbie has been corrupted and turned into a pervert! I blame this on you, Sai!” His laughter cut off suddenly with a pained yelp when a hand popped him on the back of his head. He rubbed his hand over the spot where Sakura had punched him, as he pouted at the pink-haired teen. “Ow! What was that for, Sakura-chan?! Gabbie knows I was just teasing her!” He turned pleading blue eyes to his friend. “Right, Gabbie?”

“It’s not like I walked in on him naked!” Gabbie defended herself. “I was looking for _you_ ”, she emphasized, poking Naruto in the chest. She heard the muffled ouch and told him, “I didn’t poke you that hard, ya big baby! Like I said, I went in and didn’t see you but I heard the shower running. I assumed it was you, but it wasn’t. And he was wearing a towel…well, until he lost it.” Her voice trailed off as she muttered the last sentence.

Sakura leaned over to her friend and whispered, “So? See anything good?” She giggled as Gabbie sputtered incredulously. “Sorry…I couldn’t resist! But seriously, did you?” As Gabbie averted her eyes away, Sakura smirked. “Bingo! Where’s our mysterious teammate anyway?”

“He was with Minato-sensei and Kushina-sensei when I left.” Gabbie’s mood turned somber as she remembered her discussion with Rin. Her teammates caught on to her mood and waited for her to continue. “His situation was really bad, guys. The way he was treated was so cruel! All because of him being a half-demon and who his father was. He just wants to be accepted for who he is and no one would give him that chance. He’s a really sweet guy. It’s up to us to make him feel welcome.”

“You say he’s a half-demon?” Gaara questioned. “From what I know of True Cross, aren’t there exorcists there who have the blood of demons flowing in them, however diluted it might be? And they have problems with him being a half-demon and who his father is? Why?”

Gabbie tensed, not sure how well her answer would go over. Even in the States, just hearing that name caused people to cringe with fear. “His father is Satan. When I startled him, I saw blue flames surround him. I had my suspicions about that and he confirmed it.”

Sasuke scoffed, his black eyes narrowing in irritation. “ _That’s_ their reason? Why do some people always blame others for the sins of one? Kid can’t choose who his parents are. Yeah, I get it. Satan’s the big, evil villain. But why paint his son with the same brush? Idiots.”

Gabbie couldn’t help but feel relieved at her friends’ reactions. This was a good sign for Rin. “It gets worse. He’s got a twin brother, and from what I gather he didn’t inherit the flames. Basically, he’s treated like a normal human and Rin gets treated like an animal that needs to be put down. And they don’t even treat him like he has a brain. He always gets comments about his being stupid. They’re just assholes, if ya ask me! That’s why I’m declaring right now that we should be his protection squad! Yeah, I know, he’s powerful and all, but he still needs someone to watch his back. And that’s us! Who’s with me?!” Seven hands raised in the air with hers making it eight. “That’s what I’m talking about! We’re going to show Rin what a family’s really like. They’re going to regret treating him like they did.”

“Team Kakashi! Come and meet your new teammate!” Kushina’s voice could be heard from where she stood a few feet away.

* * *

Rin stood with Minato and Kushina as they waited for Team Kakashi to arrive. He saw Gabbie waving enthusiastically and he couldn’t help but wave back. Seven teens walked with her and gave him his first glimpse at who his new team was. His tail waved anxiously behind him, a sure sign of his sudden nerves. He knew he shouldn’t worry. They were nothing like the people he’d left behind. A few of his teammates were half-demons themselves, so he wasn’t alone like last time.

“Thanks for coming!” Kushina spoke, once she was certain she had their attention. “Like I told you before, starting today there will be a new addition to Team Kakashi. This is Rin Okumura. Like most of you, except for Gabbie, Rin is from Japan originally. His power is the blue flames he inherited from his father. However, for all intents and purposes, his real father is considered to be Father Fujimoto, the former Paladin. Rin has an understandable hatred towards his real father – Satan. His father’s mentee, Shura Kirigakure, will be helping Rin with learning to use his sword, Kurikara. Rin has been given an ultimatum from the Grigori that he has to pass the exorcist certification exam in six months. And we will all help him accomplish this. With that said, let me introduce your teammates, Rin. When I call your name, raise your hand so Rin can identify you.”

The first name she called was Naruto Uzumaki-Namikazi. “This is my son, Naruto, who is your roommate. Like myself, Naruto is a kitsune demon. He also has a familiar named Kurama.” Rin eyed his new roommate and found himself liking him. He could see where Gabbie had said they had similar personalities. The blond and blue-eyed male looked to be his age. He smiled as he waved. Rin would swear he had the expression of a fox with the way his eyes crinkled shut in addition to the three whisker-like marks on each side of his face. 

Before Kushina could continue, there was a small ruckus as three familiars ran into the clearing with Kuro in the lead. Kuro jumped onto Rin’s shoulders and declared, **“I’m the winner!”** causing those who could understand him to start cracking up with laughter. Kurama and Shukaku followed suit as they ran to their masters. The sound of a foot tapping made the laughter stop instantly as the group looked at Kushina with a smattering of fear. A vein visibly pulsed on Kushina’s temple as she speared her son with a look. “Naruto, I thought I made it clear via Gabbie that I didn’t want Kurama or Shukaku harassing Kuro.”

 **“I had fun, Kushina-san! They’re my friends now! I’ve never had friends before.”** Kuro didn’t want anyone to get in trouble when he was perfectly okay. He gave her his patented innocent kitty look and watched as she practically melted into a puddle while cooing about how cute he was. Kurama and Shukaku seemed impressed at how he handled the kitsune demon and he made a note to tell them his tricks later.

Rin could only shake his head incredulously at Kuro. Leave it to Kuro to charm the socks off Kushina. “You’re incorrigible.” He muttered to his familiar, making Kuro grin back at him.

Kushina gave a little cough as she forced herself to focus, choosing to ignore her husband’s muffled laughter beside her. That didn’t stop her from elbowing him in his side, smirking as she heard the pained “Oof!”. “Okay, now that we’re settled down again, let’s continue.” The second name she called was Sasuke Uchiha. Rin had noticed that Sasuke and one of his teammates had similar features and he wondered briefly if they were related. Sasuke’s spiky black hair had a blue tint to it with his long bangs falling into and around his face. Black eyes stared back at him and although he seemed to possess a stoic façade, Rin could see a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. Perhaps Sasuke was one of the ones Gabbie had mentioned previously. Sasuke, like many in his clan, possessed the Sharingan and had even managed to awaken their rare eye ability, the Rinnegan.

Next came Sakura Haruno. She kept her light-pink hair in a shoulder-length style and for a moment, he was reminded of Shima since their hair color was similar. Kind forest green eyes were turned his way and he could tell she had a warm personality. She was introduced as one of Tsunade’s trainee’s in the art of healing since she wanted to get her Doctor Meister. Kushina playfully referred to her as her future daughter-in-law, much to Sakura’s embarrassment, but he could see the happy smile on her face at the older woman’s words.

Karin Uzumaki, Kushina’s niece, was introduced next. He could see where she belonged to the Uzumaki kitsune demon clan with her bright red, shoulder-length hair pulled into a high ponytail. Unlike Kushina and Naruto, Karin had crimson red eyes. He learned that she was Sakura’s fellow trainee under Tsunade and that she would be pursuing a Doctor Meister.

Gaara no Sabaku and his familiar, Shukaku were introduced after Karin. The spiky, red-haired male had green eyes that had similar black rings like his familiar. Gaara was a tanuki demon with an affinity for sand-based attacks. Like Naruto, he would be going for his Tamer Meister.

Haku Yuki came next. If Rin didn’t know better, he would have sworn Haku was a girl. He had almost waist-length dark brown hair pulled back in a low ponytail with delicate facial features. Warm brown eyes met his and he found himself liking the teen instantly. Haku was an ice demon proficient in ice-based attacks.

Sai Shimura was his last male teammate. He had similar features to Sasuke, making them almost twins. However, he wore his black hair shorter compared to Sasuke’s spiky style, but still had long bangs that grazed his face. He gave a salute as he was introduced, a small smile on his face. Sai was also going for his Tamer Meister, since he could summon multiple demons using sealing techniques similar to the Uzumaki clan.

Gabbie was introduced last. “You already know Gabbie.” Kushina stated. “She’s our only student that’s from the States originally. Her family line is known for producing people with the ability to use elemental magic. They also maintain a tradition where each person who inherited the ability to use magic has a sword created using a piece of their soul. With her having her own sword, she is going for the Knight Meister. I might have you included in both her and Sasuke’s sword training, since you’re going for the Knight Meister as well.” She gave Rin a pat on the back and told him to go get acquainted with his new team. “Just make sure that all of you make it in time for dinner,” she told him. “Minato and I usually do most of the cooking. From what I read in Mephisto’s notes, it mentioned that you love to cook. Want to take over cooking duties a few nights out of the week? I’ve got to warn you, though, that if everyone loves your cooking, you might be on permanent kitchen duty.”

Rin’s eyes brightened at Kushina’s suggestion. “I’d love that! Just let me know if anyone has any food allergies, so I won’t accidentally cook something that’s bad for them.”

“Okay, off with you then! Have fun!”

* * *

Naruto sidled up to where Rin was seated and sat down. Throwing his arm around his shoulder, he exclaimed, “It’s great to finally meet ya, Rin. Consider us your official protection squad headed by our very own Gabbie.” He snickered at Gabbie’s sudden pout. “But seriously, Kurama told me you can cook ramen. Is that true?” At Rin’s nod, his blue eyes started shining with excitement. “Thank you, ramen gods! My roomie can cook!” The rest of the team could be heard laughing around them. It was no secret that Naruto absolutely loved ramen.

“Do you have a girlfriend, Rin?” That question came from Karin as she sat down next to Sakura. Sakura elbowed her in the side at asking such a personal question. “What?” Karin said. “It’s a logical question. You and Naruto are going out. I just wanted to know if Rin was interested in anyone. Besides, you know I’m already dating Sasuke-kun.”

“It’s okay, Karin. I don’t mind answering.” Rin replied hastily. “I _was_ interested in someone back at True Cross, but I had to face the fact that it couldn’t happen.”

“Did she turn you down?”

Rin hesitated as he figured out how to answer Karin’s question. “Actually, it’s not a she. Although, at one point I thought I was interested in a classmate of mine named Shiemi.”

Karin nodded in understanding. “He wasn’t interested in guys then?”

“Well, I never got the chance to confess to him. The whole training camp debacle happened and he got injured trying to help me rescue our teammate from the Demon King of Earth named Amaimon. If you’d seen his reaction when he saw me transform to my demon form and how disgusted he looked when I came back to my senses, well… Let’s just say I would have been stupid to try and confess. Besides, he’s the heir to a prestigious temple in Kyoto. The Grigori would sooner have me executed before they’d allow me to have a relationship. Especially with Ryuuji.”

Haku sensed Rin’s change of mood and rubbed his back soothingly. “Don’t give up hope just yet, Rin. You have all of us now and we’ll have your back.”

Rin chuckled bitterly. “Funny, that’s the same thing my former teammates always spouted to me. They always got irritated with me for charging in and trying to protect them. Said how I should rely on them for help instead of getting injured trying to fight whatever demon we were dealing with. Hmph. That sense of camaraderie didn’t last long once they found out who I was.”

“Well, we’re not them.” Sai responded. He gestured to the group surrounding Rin, “We’re pretty damn straight forward. If someone needs help, we’re all there to support them. If any kind of problem arises, we make sure it gets settled and doesn’t affect our friendship or teamwork. You’ll find that Kakashi-sensei is pretty big on teamwork. Actually, both him and Obito-sensei.”

Rin couldn’t stop smiling. How had he managed to get lucky enough to gain a second chance at having friends that were so loyal? “That means a lot to me, you guys. I’m going to be honest. I have some issues that I need to work through still, but I’m willing to try and open up to all of you. You deserve that chance and I want to know what it’s like to finally have people who will accept me.”

“Group hug!” Sakura shouted, as she and the rest of the group shot up to dogpile on Rin. The half-demon couldn’t stop laughing as he felt the numerous pairs of arms hugging him. Thoughts of both his former friends and Yukio left his mind as he allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of having friends again. He was finally home.

* * *

_Whew! Didn’t think that chapter was ever going to end. Once it started flowing, the tap wouldn’t shut off._

**_ Chapter 4 Preview _ ** _: It’s been a few months now since Rin left True Cross. How have the Exwires been faring since Rin’s departure? Is a certain Exwire pining over our resident half-demon? And has anyone noticed his out of normal behavior?_


End file.
